Lubricating system for multiple piston compressor units and driven parts thereof

ABSTRACT

A multiple piston refrigerant gas compressor for use in air conditioning systems for vehicles in which the inlet of the compressor receives a mixture of refrigerant gas and oil in suspension that is impinged upon a novel rotor or swash plate, whereby the oil suspended in the refrigerant is separated by the centrifugal action of the rotor or swash plate and is distributed to the respective areas of the compressor requiring lubrication. The excess oil, if any, is slung outwardly by centrifugal force against the walls of the compressor housing.

United States Patent 91 Olson, Jr.

[54] LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE PISTON COMPRESSOR UNITS AND DRIVENPARTS THEREOF [75] Inventor: John W. Olson, Jr., Oklahoma City,

Okla.

[73] Assignee: John E. Mitchell Company, Dallas,

Tex.

[*1 Notice: The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Jan. 5,1988,

has been disclaimed.

[22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 103,413

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No.775,334, Nov. 13,

1968, Pat. No. 3,552,886.

[52] U.S. Cl. ..417/269 [51] Int. Cl. ..F04b 1/14, F04b 27/08 [58] Fieldof Search ..417/269, 281; 91/501 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS Olson ..4l7/269 1 *Jan. 23, 1973 3,085,514 4/1963 Budzich..417/269 3,143,973 8/1964 Budzich ....417/269 3,209,701 10/1965 Phinney..4l7/269 2,534,153 12/1950 Widmer ..41 7/269 Primary Examiner-Paul E.Maslousky Attorney-Birch & Birch [57] ABSTRACT A multiple pistonrefrigerant gas compressor for use in air conditioning systems forvehicles in which the inlet of the compressor receives a mixture ofrefrigerant gas and oil in suspension that is impinged upon a novelrotor or swash plate, whereby the oil suspended in the refrigerant isseparated by the centrifugal action of the rotor or swash plate and isdistributed to the respective areas of the compressor requiringlubrication. The excess oil, if any, is slung outwardly by centrifugalforce against the walls of the compressor housing.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 23 ms 3,712,759

sum 1 pr 2 INVENI'OR I JOHN w. ousomua ATTORNEY PATENTEDJANZB 19733,712,759

SHEET 2 0F 2 INVENT OR JOHN w. OLSON,JR.

wa M

ATTORNEY LUBRICATING SYSTEM FOR MULTIPLE PISTON COMPRESSOR UNITS ANDDRIVEN PARTS THEREOF This invention is a continuation-in-part of myprior copending application 775,334, filed Nov. I3, 1968, now US. Pat.No. 3,552,886 issued Jan. 5, l97l.

In my prior application the separation of oil and refrigerant was doneprimarily by agitation and gravity in response to the oscillations ofthe wobble plate means of the compressor unit. While this system of oiland refrigerant separation has been reasonably effective and efficient,it has been discovered that a more efficient and positive separation ofoil and refrigeration may be accomplished by centrifugal action andaffinity to respective bearing surfaces in the unit.

It is an object of this invention to utilize the rotation of the workingcomponents of the compressor to provide for efficient separation andflow of lubricant from the refrigerant gas by the sling action of arotating element of the compressor unit.

Another object is to provide for use of both the rotary and oscillatingparts of the compressor to separate and distribute the separated oilinto the bearing areas between the parts of the compressor.

Yet another object is to provide a novel lubricating system forrefrigerant gas compressors, whereby suspension of oil separated fromthe refrigerant gas are directed into the bearing areas of thecompressor and excess oil is so negligible that the usual oil sumprequired for excess oil is eliminated in the provision of a truecylindrical housing to facilitate mounting of the compressor under thehood of a vehicle or the like.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent as thepresent invention is fully understood, the same resides in the noveltyof construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterdescribed in detail and distinctly summarized in the appended claims.

The following description should be read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate likeor similar parts throughout the several views, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a cross section view taken longitudinally of an embodimentofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse section view taken along section line 2-2 of FIG.1; and

FIG. 3 is an'end elevation view taken in the direction of line 3-3 ofFIG. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings and the specific embodiment shown,the compressor unit is mounted in a one-piece housing 10. This housingis preferably formed of a 'single seamless bell-shaped cylinder ofmetal, such as impact extruded steel or aluminum, which is spun over toprovide an inturned flange 11 at the open skirt end 14 of the bell.

The flange 11 is positioned to lap over in mating relation with anoutturned flange 12 of a cylinder head 13 during assembly of thecompressor parts within the housing. The end 15 of the housing oppositeto the open skirt end 14 thereof is formed with a central opening 16 inwhich is mounted a shaft seal 18 and bearing assembly 19 within a sleeve20 for a power take-off shaft 21.

The shaft 2'] is thus rotatably mounted to be driven by the usual pulleydrive of an automotive vehicle and extends through the bell head sleeve20 slightly beyond bearing assembly 19 into the housing 10. The extendedend of the shaft 21 has secured thereto, by suitable means, such as keymeans 22, a rotor or swash plate 23 formed with an internal collar 25.

The rotor 23 is wedge-shaped and is provided with level bearing surfaces26 and 27 on each opposite side thereof. It is formed with an internalbore 28 around the collar 25, so shaped and so formed as to receive anend portion of the seal and bearing sleeve 20 therein in axial alignmentwith the annular collar 25. This arrangement provides for accurate axialalignment as a base for all of the compressor parts and bearing means,such as roller bearings 30 and 31 with shims or flat rings 32 and 33mounted on the respective bearing surfaces 26 and 27, and providesubstantially friction-free rotation of the rotor 23 with the shaft 21journalled by main bearing 19 in the sleeve 20.

The rotor 23 is in angular driving relation with a follower or wobbleplate 35 formed with a central opening counterbored to form an annularland or surface 36. This surface 36 mates with a facing annular shoulder37 formed from the base 38 of a bevel gear 39, which angularly mesheswith a non-angularly positioned second bevel gear 40.

The gears 39 and 40 are axially positioned with respect to each otherand the axis of the driven shaft 21 and maintained in mating relation bya spherical means, such as a reaction ball 41. This ball serves as abearing between the respective facing gears 39 and 40 mounted in thewobble plate 35 and centrally in the bore 43 of compressor cylinderblock 44.

The central bore 43 of the block 44 is formed adjacent the bevel gear 40with a concentrically formed mounting means, such as sleeve 45, aroundwhich are formed from the block a plurality of longitudinal ductsgenerally indicated by the numeral 47 to provide for fluid distributiontherethrough as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1. This sleeve 45adjustably receives and axially mounts the axial extension 48 of thebevel gear 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the gear 40 is spacedfrom the cylinder block 44 by a Belleville washer 42 and is securedadjustably by means, such as a set screw 42 threadably mounted in awasher 48 seated in a groove in the bore 43 of the cylinder block. Theblock 44 may be formed of extruded aluminum, and to provide forreduction in bulk and weight may be fonned with longitudinally extendingcut-outs or semicircular open sections 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 and 55,see FIG. 2. Also, the cylinder block 44 in this embodiment of theinvention is illustrated with seven cylinders 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 and62 for piston means 63, see FIGS. 1 and 2. However, any number ofcylinders and associated pistons may be used, as desired.

The piston means 63 include the usual piston rings 64 and the pistonmeans each connect to the follower plate 35 through connecting rods 65.Each rod 65 is formed with a spherical end 66 and 67 at each respectiveend for staked connection with spherical sockets 68 and 69, respectivelymounted in the follower plate 35 and within the confines of the skirtportion of a connected piston means 63. Thus, the wobbler or followerplate 35 serves as a bearing ring for the respective spherical ends ofthe respective piston connecting rods and, when oscillated by the rotor23, activates the piston means to operate the compressor.

The compressor includes a minifold head plate 70 formed with an outletor exhaust nipple 71 leading to a suitable refrigeration system from anannular exhaust mainfold chamber 73. Also, around the external perimeterof the head plate 70 is an outboard flange 74 secured in the open end ofbell-housing 10 by the inturned flange 11, see FIG. 1, in spacedrelation to the compressor block 44. This space between the mainfoldhead plate 70 and the adjacent end of the block 44 has positionedtherein a valve plate 75 formed with pairs of inlet and exhaust ports 76and 77 controlled by inlet reed valve means located at 78, such asgenerally known in the art and illustrated in FIGS. 4 and of myco-pending application 775,334 now US. Pat. No. 3,552,886 issued Jan. 5,1971.

Such reed valve means are suitably secured by bolt means to the valveplate so that one inlet valve and one exhaust valve is positioned over arespective cylinder 62, to thereby be activated by the reciprocation ofthe piston means 63 in a respective cylinder. Thus, when a piston movesdownward, the intake valve located at 78 is activated in the directionof the arrows in FIG. 1; and when the piston means moves upward theassociated exhaust valve located at 79 opens to exhaust refrigerant fromthe compressor through the outlet nipple 71 to the air conditioningsystem. As the respective exhaust reed valve means open the same mayengage stop means, such as stop ring 80.

OPERATION The operation of the compressor is believed generally apparentfrom the foregoing description. Briefly, the compressor piston means areactivated by the motion imparted thereto from the shaft 21, the rotor27, the wobble or follower plate 35 and the connecting rods 65. Whenthus activated refrigerant and oil in suspension are supplied from asuitable source into an intake coupling 81 positioned in an intakeopening in the side of the housing 10.

This intake coupling is positioned to feed into rotor 23 through opening82 into the bore 28 of the rotor 23. The oil mist passes to the bearingareas 19 adjacent rotor 23 through ducts 84 and 85 and through the bore28 of the rotor 23, see FIG. 1, to an opening 86 formed in the base ofbevel gear 39 to bearing 31 and to the area of the reaction ball 41.These bearing surfaces and rotor 23 have a surface affinity to retainthe oil, while the refrigerant gas continues to be drawn through theunit by the action of the pistons of the compressor forward through theducts 47, bore 43 and into a suction chamber 87 in the manifold headplate 70. Excess oil, if any, will be slung out to the walls of housingby centrifugal force and drop by gravity to the lower part of thehousing 10, such excess oil level being so negligible as to eliminatethe need for any enlarged sump portion, see oil level line 88 in FIG. 1.The slinging action or centrifugal force of rotor 23 also enhances thelubrication of bearing means 30 and 31.

Therefore, the mixture of refrigerant and oil supplied through theintake coupling is separated and distributed by both the centrifugalaction of the rotor and the afflnity of the oil for the bearingsurfaces.

From the suction chamber 87 of head manifold plate 70, the refrigerantgas is drawn into the respective cylinders through the intake reedvalves and out through the exhaust reed valves to discharge outletfitting 71 and the compressor pistons produce their respective suctionand discharge strokes, see the arrow path shown in FIG. 1.

Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the arrows 90 in cylinder 62 represent apermitted amount of gas and oil to blow by the piston means when headpressure is high, to thereby prevent pulley slippage and possibleresonance or ring in the drive belt and pulley connections to the shaft21 of the unit.

Thus, there is provided a novel lubricating system in a unit comprisinga multiple piston type compressor with driving means therefor, whereby arotor of the driving means provides lubrication of the bearing areas ofthe unit and causes separation and flow of the refrigerant gas from theoil mixed therewith from the inlet fitting connected to a source ofsupply to feed to an air conditioning system connected to the outletfitting of the unit.

Without further description it is believed that the advantage of thepresent invention over the prior art is apparent and while only oneembodiment of the same is illustrated, it is to be expressly understoodthat the same is not limited thereto as various changes may be made inthe combination and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as will nowlikely appear to others and those skilled in the art. For a definitionof the scope or limits of the invention, reference should be had to theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit including adriven shaft having a wedge-shaped hollow rotor with an opening therein,a bell-shaped cylindrical housing having an open end and an end havingjournal means to concentrically mount said shaft and rotor therein forrotation, an inlet means through a wall of said housing adjacent saidrotor for introducing a refrigerant gas containing a suspension of oiltherein, a wobble plate adjacent an angular surface of said wedge-shapedrotor oscillating in response to rotation of the rotor, a cylinder blockin said housing adjacent said wobble plate, means mounted in saidcylinder block to prevent rotation of said wobble plate, roller bearingmeans for joumaling said shaft and rotor in the housing and between thesurfaces of said wobble plate, said wobble plate comprising a ringformed with spherical piston connecting rod sockets, said cylinder blockbeing formed with annularly spaced cylinders, a piston with a sphericalsocket within a skirt portion thereof in each of said cylinders, eachcylinder being aligned in concentric position with respect to one ofsaid ring connecting rod sockets, connecting rods with spherical endsconformable with said aforementioned sockets, one rod end being mountedin one of said ring sockets and the other spherical rod end of eachrespective rod being mounted in said spherical socket within the skirtportion of one of said pistons, a manifold head portion mounted over theopen end of the housing, said mainfold head portion having an annularsuction chamber and an annular exhaust chamber, pairs of intake andexhaust reed valve means mounted between said cylinder block and saidmainfold head portion, each of said reed valves means being positionedto function as intake and exhaust valves during the respective suctionand discharge strokes of said pistons, an outlet from the exhaustchamber of said mainfold head portion to an air conditioning system, andduct means leading to the surfaces of each of said respective bearingmeans, whereby a mixture of refrigerant and oil supplied through saidinlet in the wall of the housing is separated and distributed bycentrifugal action and the affinity of the oil for the bearing surfaceswhen said compressor is activated to rotate said rotor adjacent to saidinlet in the wall of the housing and the refrigerant is exhausted fromsaid exhaust chamber outlet of the manifold head portion.

2. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit as described inclaim 1, wherein said cylinder block is formed with a central bore andlongitudinal semi-spherical cut-out areas around the periphery thereof,said refrigerant and oil mixtureduring distribution and separation inthe compressor flowing therethrough to said reed valve means.

3. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit as described inclaim 1, wherein said means, to prevent rotation of said wobble plate,comprises bevel gear means, one of which is fixed and the other of whichis oscillatable with said wobble plate.

4. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit as described inclaim 1, wherein said central bore of the cylinder block includes asleeve to mount said fixed bevel gear.

5. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit as described inclaim 1, wherein said means mounted in said cylinder block, to preventwobble plate rotation, comprises a non-rotatable bevel gear andadjustment means in connection therewith to vary the longitudinal thrustof said bevel gear.

1. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit including adriven shaft having a wedge-shaped hollow rotor with an opening therein,a bell-shaped cylindrical housing having an open end and an end havingjournal means to concentrically mount said shaft and rotor therein forrotation, an inlet means through a wall of said housing adjacent saidrotor for introducing a refrigerant gas containing a suspension of oiltherein, a wobble plate adjacent an angular surface of said wedge-shapedrotor oscillating in response to rotation of the rotor, a cylinder blockin said housing adjacent said wobble plate, means mounted in saidcylinder block to prevent rotation of said wobble plate, roller bearingmeans for journaling said shaft and rotor in the housing and between thesurfaces of said wobble plate, said wobble plate comprising a ringformed with spherical piston connecting rod sockets, said cylinder blockbeing formed with annularly spaced cylinders, a piston with a sphericalsocket within a skirt portion thereof in each of said cylinders, eachcylinder being aligned in concentric position with respect to one ofsaid ring connecting rod sockets, connecting rods with spherical endsconformable with said aforementioned sockets, one rod end being mountedin one of said ring sockets and the other spherical rod end of eachrespective rod being mounted in said spherical socket within the skirtportion of one of said pistons, a manifold head portion mounted over theopen end of the housing, said mainfold head portion having an annularsuction chamber and an annular exhaust chamber, pairs of intake andexhaust reed valve means mounted between said cylinder block and saidmainfold head portion, each of said reed valves means being positionedto function as intake and exhaust valves during the respective suctionand discharge strokes of said pistons, an outlet from the exhaustchamber of said mainfold head portion to an air conditioning system, andduct means leading to the surfaces of each of said respective bearingmeans, whereby a mixture of refrigerant and oil supplied through saidinlet in the wall of the housing is separated and distributed bycentrifugal action and the affinity of the oil for the bearing surfaceswhen said compressor is activated to rotate said rotor adjacent to saidinlet in the wall of the housing and the refrigerant is exhausted fromsaid exhaust chamber outlet of the manifold head portion.
 2. A multiplereciprocating piston type compressor unit as described in claim 1,wherein said cylinder block is formed with a central bore andlongitudinal semi-spherical cut-out areas around the periphery thereof,said refrigerant and oil mixture during distribution and separation inthe compressor flowing therethrough to said reed valve means.
 3. Amultiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit as described in claim1, wherein said means, to prevent rotation of said wobble plate,comprises bevel gear means, one of which is fixed and the other of whichis oscillatable with said wobble plate.
 4. A multiple reciprocatingpiston type compressor unit as described in claim 1, wherein saidcentral bore of the cylinder block includes a sleeve to mount said fixedbevel gear.
 5. A multiple reciprocating piston type compressor unit asdescribed in claim 1, wherein said means mounted in said cylinder block,to prevent wobble plate rotation, comprises a non-rotatable bevel gearand adjustment means in connection therewith to vary the longitudinalthrust of said bevel gear.